An appropriate description of the SNP leader
The biggest donors to the campaign for Scottish independence thus far have been Colin and Chris Weir, a couple who won £161 million in the EuroMillions lottery in 2011. They’ve funded 79% of the ‘Yes’ campaign and now as Scotland prepares to vote on this stupid gamble, we had to make an image shared with us by Peter Burrell our Picture of the Week. (more…)
It is time to make St George’s Day a public holiday
The Irish enjoy a national holiday for St Patrick’s Day and the Scottish celebrate St Andrew’s Day. Today, 23rd April, is St George’s Day and it is time we, the English, marked it properly. (more…)
The mother of the Academy Award winning film director Anthony Minghella CBE (1954 – 2008) was a matriarch who lived by the philosophy: “You put in what you can, no matter how little that is, you don’t know how far the ripples will go”. Dedicated to community service and charity, Minghella herself was famous for introducing exotic flavours of ice cream to the Isle of Wight and even named one “Ripley’s Downfall” in honour of her son’s masterpiece The Talented Mr Ripley.
A redrawn map of Scotland sums up the perils of independence
It’s always been our belief that the sum parts of the Union are worth more together than apart. Great Britain is great because of the diversity brought together in uniting England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth and with their attempt to become independent, the Scots lobbying for it just show themselves to be fools. (more…)
20 questions with food writer and car collector Morgan Murphy
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Bourbon and bacon, which is, by the way, the title of my next book coming out from Time Inc. next year. No, it’s not a diet book.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“Life is too short to be boring”. Also: “Don’t eat food from a box.”
This Scottish producer’s life was immortalised in the 2013 crowdfunded film, The Last Impresario. Jewish and educated at the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, White moved from being a Wall Street runner in the 1950s to the pinnacles of showbusiness in the 1960s and 1970s. Known for working on projects as diverse as Monty Python, The Rocky Horror Show, Enigma and White Mischief, this legendary playboy “can’t think about one good thing about growing old” and considers beautiful women to be “like living pictures”. White’s “Icarus-like downfall” into drugs and excess are well documented but, as he’d no doubt say himself, “the party must go on”.
Scotland’s most expensive estate comes to the market
In Downton Abbey last week, the Grantham family talked about selling off parts of their estate to cover the costs of death duties. In Scotland, the death of Sir James Cayzer has led to his family selling off one of their estates. (more…)
Rolls-Royce shooting brake commissioned by John Entwistle of The Who goes to auction
In the manner typical of a rock star, The Who’s John Entwistle never learnt to drive. Instead, the legendary bass player bought cars because he liked to “drink in them”. One – specially adapted to suit an Irish Wolfhound named Fits Perfectly and several Rottweilers – is due at auction on 7th September. (more…)
Matthew Steeples suggests TripAdvisor needs to reform its ways
I’ve written about the ‘Trippies’ (those who write reviews on TripAdvisor) before and just like the ‘Groupies’ (voucher loving Groupon users), I’ve had direct experience of their type. They’re an accursed nuisance. (more…)
Jack Vetrianno puts painting on the market (and throws in a flat)
Whoever buys Scottish artist Jack Vettriano OBE’s £2 million flat in Pont Street, Knightsbridge gets not only a one bedroomed flat, but also a painting titled Suddenly Last Summer. (more…)